NCSEA Connect Webinar
NCSEA Foundation Presents – Leaning Out: A Documentary Screening and Q and A with SEs at Ground Zero
September 11, 2026 | Fri 12:00 America/Chicago
$
Some of us remember exactly where we were. Others were too young to feel the weight of that day. Twenty-five years later, the NCSEA Foundation invites you to experience a story every structural engineer should carry.
Leaning Out is the story of Leslie E. Robertson — lead structural engineer of the World Trade Center and one of the great builders of iconic high-rises, transformational structures, and cultural centers around the world. It traces the structural innovation, wind-engineering breakthroughs, and visionary collaborations that defined his career and shaped skylines across the globe — told by the man who designed the Towers and lived to see their loss. A story of genius, of grief, and of the profession that builds what others only imagine.
After the 60-minute film, stay for a 30-minute live panel with those who knew Les Robertson and the engineers carrying his legacy forward, exploring the man, his impact, and the future he helped build. This event is free to attend; donations to the NCSEA Foundation are encouraged.
Click here to Register: REGISTER NOW
By registering for this complimentary webinar, you are agreeing to receiving communications from STRUCTURE and/or NCSEA.
In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the NCSEA Foundation presents a virtual screening of Leaning Out, the story of Leslie E. Robertson — lead structural engineer of the World Trade Center and one of the great builders of iconic high-rises, transformational structures, and cultural centers around the world. The film explores the structural innovation, wind engineering breakthroughs, and visionary collaborations that defined his career and shaped skylines across the globe.
Following the 60-minute film, join a live 30-minute Q&A with structural engineers who bring first-hand accounts of the events of 9/11 — a direct perspective on that day from those who lived it. This event is free to attend; donations to the NCSEA Foundation are encouraged.
Click here to Register: REGISTER NOW
By registering for this complimentary webinar, you are agreeing to receiving communications from STRUCTURE and/or NCSEA.
Panelists:
Chris Cerino, P.E., is the Director of Structural Engineering for STV’s Buildings Group based in NYC and a Past President of NCSEA.
Ron Klemencic, P.E., S.E., Hon. AIA is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Magnusson Klemencic Associates. A preeminent high-rise structural engineer with projects in 29 states and 25 countries — including Salesforce Tower in San Francisco and Rainier Square in Seattle — Ron is known for creative, cost-effective designs and for pioneering innovations like Performance-Based Seismic Design and the SpeedCore structural system. He is a Fellow of ACI, ASCE, CTBUH, and SEI, and a member of both the National Academy of Construction and the National Academy of Engineering.
Richard Zottola, P.E., C.E., S.E. is a Partner at LERA Consulting Structural Engineers, where since 1982 he has led the structural design of numerous award-winning academic, research, and healthcare facilities, along with major restoration and infrastructure projects. He chairs the ACEC New York Chapter Executive Committee, is a member of ASCE, and was awarded the World Trade Center Medal for Individual Acts of Valor for his work following the 1993 bombing. Rick holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master of Engineering (Structural), both from Cornell University.
Dylan Seesman, P.E., is a Principal and the Director of Operations at JQOL, an Indianapolis-based civil engineering design firm focused on Improving the Quality of Life for all communities Nationwide. His passion for the industry is rooted in building a culture of collaboration and in the impact engineers can have well beyond the projects themselves.